December15,2017

“As Republicans in Congress continue to push their reckless tax cuts, they put at risk crucial agencies and programs, such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), military pensions, and Medicare. In addition to massively benefiting the wealthy and corporations, as well as reducing revenue by more than a trillion dollars, the tax bill endangers important mandatory spending priorities on which middle class and working Americans rely.

“In 2010, to help reign in deficit spending, Congress passed what is known as a PAYGO law, requiring that the legislation enacted during a session of Congress not increase the deficit under threat of automatic cuts. Because of its imbalance, the Republican tax bill risks triggering these automatic and across-the-board PAYGO cuts to critical mandatory spending programs. In a strikingly disingenuous statement, the Senate Majority Leader and Speaker of the House have asserted that the PAYGO cuts to mandatory programs that will be triggered by their tax bill ‘will not happen’ for some unspecified and seemingly miraculous reason. Either Republicans have a way to skirt the law that they haven’t shared, or their tax bill is going to trigger the automatic cuts. Both scenarios are terrible for the middle class.

“Empty rhetoric is not enough, and Republicans’ irresponsible disregard for the consequences of their actions is dangerous. I continue to oppose the Republican tax bill and the damage it will inflict on the future of our economy and our country.”